Raising a child by yourself isn’t easy, especially when you’re trying to break into the music industry.

But it’s possible.

That’s the message Canadian R&B singer Divine Brown is bringing to London on Friday when the Juno-Award winning musician speaks at the Single Women in Motherhood fundraiser at the Hilton Hotel.

While she’s widely known for her sultry voice and her 2005 hit Old Skool Love, less is known about Brown the single mother, who was in her early-twenties when she had her daughter.

“I’ll be very forthright in saying I had some very, very difficult moments. But those difficult moments are the ones that gave me even more fire to achieve,” said Brown, who lives in Toronto with her 14-year-old daughter.

“That’s what I’d really like to share with other single moms because everybody has those bumpy roads.”

Founded in 2002, SWIM is a London-based non-profit organization designed to empower single mothers to create family stability.

In addition to raising money for the organization, Friday’s event exposes single mothers to success stories like Brown’s, said SWIM executive director Ann Marie Ricketts.

“The idea is to let other young mothers and upcoming mothers . . . know that there is hope. They can be successful as well, and they can be an inspiration for others,” Ricketts said. “We’re all about building self-esteem and giving women back their voices.”

Who better to give a voice to single mothers than a woman who makes a living from her voice?

Brown, 38, has released three albums and is busy working on her latest album, Something Fresh, to be released in 2013.

Though her family always supported her decisions, Brown never relied on family to take care of her.

“I wanted to make sure that I was able to make a living doing what I loved. And that meant going through periods (and) times of difficultly when the gigs weren’t . . . as frequent,” said Brown, who believes being a single mother strengthened her relationship with her daughter.

“She’s very aware of the sacrifices I’ve made. And she’s very thankful.”